Safety Planning

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Making a crisis or safety plan enables you to feel more in control of the situation and gives you the confidence to take action to protect yourself and your children.

Below is a list of practical ideas that may help you draw up a plan of action for your safety.

• Find out about local support services (drop-ins, outreach, counselling, advice sessions).

• Keep a diary/log of domestic violence incidents.

• Know where you can quickly and easily access a phone (mobile, neighbour, relative or friend).

• Keep a list of emergency contact numbers with you. Include relatives, friends, local police etc.

• Try to keep some money aside for bus, train, cab fares or food and accommodation costs.

• Have an extra set of keys for the house, flat, car.

• Keep the keys, money and a set of clothes for you and your children packed ready in a bag and leave it with a friend or relative you can trust.

If you are planning to leave, do as much as possible from the following: 

• Leave when you are sure he is not around.

• Take all of your children with you.

• Take your legal and financial papers, marriage and birth certificates, court orders, national health cards, passports, driving licence, child credit books, address book, bank books, cheque books, credit cards etc.

• Take any of your personal possessions which have sentimental value.

• Take favourite toys for the children.

• Take clothing for several days.

• Take any medicine you or your children might need

If you do leave and later realise that you have forgotten to take something, you can arrange to return home with the protection of a police escort to collect the remainder of your things. 

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